Daily Bible Study

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Day 38 Isaiah 43 43:1 But now thus says the LORD that created thee, O Jacob, and he that formed thee, O Israel, Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine. 2 When thou pass through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walk through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee. 3 For I am the LORD thy God, the Holy One of Israel, thy Savior: I gave Egypt for thy ransom, Ethiopia and Seba for thee. 4 Since thou wast precious in my sight, thou hast been honorable, and I have loved thee: therefore will I give men for thee, and people for thy life. 5 Fear not: for I am with thee: I will bring thy seed from the east, and gather thee from the west; 6 I will say to the north, Give up; and to the south, Keep not back: bring my sons from far, and my daughters from the ends of the earth; 7 Even every one that is called by my name: for I have created him for my glory, I have formed him; yea, I have made him. 8 Bring forth the blind people that have eyes, and the deaf that have ears. 9 Let all the nations be gathered together, and let the people be assembled: who among them can declare this, and show us former things? Let them bring forth their witnesses, that they may be justified: or let them hear, and say, It is truth. 10 Ye are my witnesses, says the LORD, and my servant whom I have chosen: that ye may know and believe me, and understand that I am he: before me there was no God formed, neither shall there be after me. 11 I, even I, am the LORD; and beside me there is no savior. 12 I have declared, and have saved, and I have showed, when there was no strange god among you: therefore ye are my witnesses, says the LORD, that I am God. 13 Yea, before the day was I am he; and there is none that can deliver out of my hand: I will work, and who shall let it? 14 Thus says the LORD, your redeemer, the Holy One of Israel; For your sake I have sent to Babylon, and have brought down all their nobles, and the Chaldeans, whose cry is in the ships. 15 I am the LORD, your Holy One, the creator of Israel, your King. 16 Thus says the LORD, which makes a way in the sea, and a path in the mighty waters; 17 Which brings forth the chariot and horse, the army and the power; they shall lie down together, they shall not rise: they are extinct, they are quenched as tow. 18 Remember ye not the former things, neither consider the things of old. 19 Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth; shall ye not know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert. 20 The beast of the field shall honor me, the dragons and the owls: because I give waters in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert, to give drink to my people, my chosen. 21 This people have I formed for myself; they shall show forth my praise. 22 But thou hast not called upon me, O Jacob; but thou hast been weary of me, O Israel. 23 Thou hast not brought me the small cattle of thy burnt offerings; neither hast thou honored me with thy sacrifices. I have not caused thee to serve with an offering, nor wearied thee with incense. 24 Thou hast bought me no sweet cane with money, neither hast thou filled me with the fat of thy sacrifices: but thou hast made me to serve with thy sins, thou hast wearied me with thine iniquities. 25 I, even I, am he that blots out thy transgressions for mine own sake, and will not remember thy sins. 26 Put me in remembrance: let us plead together: declare thou, that thou may be justified. 27 Thy first father hath sinned, and thy teachers have transgressed against me. 28 Therefore I have profaned the princes of the sanctuary, and have given Jacob to the curse, and Israel to reproaches. Have you ever tried to convince someone about who you are and what you have done? Have you reminded people about what you did for them, especially your family? Yet for all your convincing and reminding them, they paid no attention and continued down the path of least resistance, leading to trouble and misery. God told Jacob and Israel who he is and what he did for them. He told them they were his witnesses, not once but several times. Yet his chosen people ignored him, and went their own way, so that God had no choice but to send them into exile, keeping his promise to Solomon at the dedication of the temple. 2 Chronicles 7:19 But if ye turn away, and forsake my statutes and my commandments, which I have set before you, and shall go and serve other gods, and worship them; 20 Then will I pluck them up by the roots out of my land which I have given them; and this house, which I have sanctified for my name, will I cast out of my sight, and will make it to be a proverb and a byword among all nations. (KJV) You also see God’s purpose in creating you. It is for his glory you were created. It is so you will be witnesses to all he has done for you. As Christians, you are also witnesses to all Jesus did for you. He redeemed you through his shed blood on Calvary’s cross. He called you by name. He made you to sit in heavenly places in Christ Jesus. And he told you to be is witnesses to the world. Matthew 28:18 And Jesus came and spoke unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. 19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: 20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen. Acts 1:8 But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth. (KJV) It wasn’t just Israel who would be witnesses of all God has done for them. You are witnesses as well. You have a job to do for the kingdom of God. Jesus told you, you are to go into the world proclaiming God’s kingdom to everyone who will listen. You are to teach and baptize everyone who accepts Jesus as Savior and Lord. His command comes with a promise. He said he would be with you always, until he returns. Jesus also promised them he would send the Holy Spirit to live in you and teach you everything you need to know. Have you done any witnessing lately? Let’s pray: Father, you gave me a command to go to the world and be your witness of everything you have done for me. Help me step out of my comfort zone and be your witness. Send me to those you would have me speak to, and show them how much you love them. In Jesus’ name, I pray, amen. Copyright © 27 September 2017 by Valerie Routhieaux Image courtesy of Pixabay